The nine-day mourning period for Pope Francis, who was laid to rest on April 26, 2025, ended on May 4. On May 7, cardinals from six continents gathered in Vatican City, Italy, to elect the 267th pope. This tradition, known as the papal conclave, is steeped in history....

On April 23, 2025, the Philadelphia Zoo introduced four female hatchlings of the critically endangered Western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoises to the public. The new arrivals were named Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia — after characters from the iconic television series The Golden Girls. They are the first of their kind to be born at the zoo in its 150-year history. Prior to this, there were only 44 Western Santa Cruz tortoises in US zoos, including three at Philadelphia....

Just when it seemed every color under the sun had been named, researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have identified a new one. Called “olo,” this shade lies outside the normal range of human vision. It can only be seen under specific conditions using a laser. The five people who have seen "olo" describe it as a "blue-green of unprecedented saturation."...

Sharks have always been considered silent swimmers. Unlike most fish, these top ocean predators lack sound-producing organs. But recent research suggests this might not be true for all sharks. At least one species produces noise, challenging our understanding of these stealthy hunters....

The Vatican announced that Pope Francis died in the early hours of April 21, 2025. The 88-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church suffered a stroke and heart failure. The pope had faced several health challenges in the past few years. Most recently, he was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. Fittingly, his final public address came on Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025), one of the most sacred days in the Christian faith....

Passover, or "Pesach" in Hebrew, is one of the most important Jewish holidays. It celebrates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt over 3,000 years ago. The holiday lasts for seven or eight days and usually occurs in March or April. In 2025, Passover will be observed from April 12 to April 20....

A glowing green comet is captivating skywatchers across the Northern Hemisphere. Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN) was first spotted by amateur astronomer Michael Mattiazzo on March 29, 2025. He discovered it while looking through images from the Solar Wind Anisotropies camera aboard NASA's Solar Heliospheric Observatory. Since then, the comet has been seen multiple times with the help of telescopes....

Spanish archeologists have recovered a largely intact shipwreck dating back nearly 2,600 years. The 27-foot (8 m) long trading vessel was carrying lead ingots to an unknown destination when it sank off the coast of Mazarrón, Spain. It remained hidden in the sand just six feet (1.8 m) below the ocean surface until divers finally found it in 1994....

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A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar on March 28, 2025. The magnitude 7.7 tremor devastated Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city. As of March 31, officials have confirmed more than 1,700 deaths. Over 3,400 are injured, and 139 people are still missing....

A day before his 37th birthday, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry became the first NBA player to reach 4,000 career three-pointers. The milestone shot came in the third quarter on March 13, 2025, during a game at San Francisco's Chase Center against the Sacramento Kings. The Warriors went on to win, 130-104, in front of a roaring home crowd....

For pranksters, no holiday tops April Fools' Day. Celebrated annually on April 1, it is the one day of the year when lighthearted tricks are not just accepted — they are welcomed. The origin of this fun tradition is unclear. Some believe it began in 1582 when the world moved from the Julian calendar — which started the new year around April 1 — to the Gregorian calendar. Others think it began as a way to celebrate the arrival of spring....

Running a single marathon is hard enough for most people. Now, imagine doing it seven times on seven continents in less than 168 hours — or seven days. That is exactly what the annual World Marathon Challenge dares participants to accomplish. As if that were not enough, they also compete for the fastest total time across all seven races....

When NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore launched for the International Space Station (ISS) aboard Boeing’s Starliner on June 5, 2024, they expected to be back within eight days. However, concerns about the spacecraft's safety extended their stay at the ISS for nine months. The astronauts finally returned to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon on March 18, 2025....

The NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball championships are among the most widely watched collegiate sporting events in the United States. These games transform even casual basketball fans into loyal supporters of teams they may have never followed before. Here is everything you need to know about what is popularly known as "March Madness."...

Baileigh Sinaman-Daniel will forever remember her 2024-25 basketball season. On December 4, 2024, the 22-year-old became the first NCAA Division III women’s basketball player with one arm to score in a collegiate game. Her coach, Martin Rather, immediately called a timeout to mark the historic moment....

A holiday dedicated to a math constant might not sound thrilling. But Pi ("π") Day, celebrated annually in the US on March 14 (3/14), is an exception. The festivities usually start with pi-themed activities to celebrate the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter (approximately 3.14). But they almost always end with a delicious slice of pie....

With two pairs of antennae, large compound eyes, and four sets of jaws, giant isopods look like creatures from a science fiction movie. Now, researchers have discovered a new "supergiant" isopod species with a head strikingly similar to Darth Vader’s helmet. In a nod to the iconic Star Wars villain, they have named it Bathynomus vaderi (B. vaderi)....

St. Patrick's Day, celebrated annually on March 17, is a lively holiday that honors the most famous of Ireland's three patron saints. Though widely known for its parades, shamrocks, and everything green, the day's roots are steeped in history....

California’s famous bald eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, are proud parents of triplets. The first eaglet hatched late on March 3, 2025. The second followed shortly after in the early hours of March 4. The third and final eaglet popped out of its eggshell four days later, on March 8. These are the couple’s first successfully hatched chicks since one named Spirit emerged three years ago....

Zara Lachlan made history on February 1, 2025, as the first woman and youngest person to row solo, unsupported, and non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean. The 21-year-old British student completed the 4,100-mile (6,598 km) voyage from Europe to South America in 97 days, 9 hours, and 20 minutes. Remarkably, Lachlan had minimal ocean rowing experience before taking on the difficult challenge....

India is home to numerous vibrant festivals. But few are as eagerly awaited as Holi, the Festival of Colors. This joyous Hindu holiday marks the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil. Its date changes annually, as it follows the lunar calendar. In 2025, Holi will fall on March 14....

On March 9, 2025, most Americans will begin Daylight Saving Time (DST) by moving their clocks ahead an hour. The time change will result in a loss of an hour of sleep or free time on Sunday. However, it will allow for longer days during the upcoming spring and summer months....

Ramadan is the ninth and most sacred month in the Islamic lunar calendar. During this month, archangel Jibril revealed the first five verses of the Quran — Islam's holy text — to Prophet Muhammad. The start of the holy month is determined by the appearance of the new crescent moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to begin at sundown on or around February 28, 2025....